Living at YES! Success Stories Archive

YES! stands for You Embracing Spirit!
In the LOGO, notice the symbol for the "Y" is a heart.
When you embrace Spirit - your heart is opened!

Each day IS full of gifts and wonders -- Cicily Waeger

When you listen to Cicily Waeger's journey, you can't help but be inspired. Not only are you inspired, you want to stand up and cheer! Her quiet inner strength is apparent when you speak with her- but life wasn't always a smooth ride for this single mother of five.

In 1998, an extremely serious illness nearly claimed her life. "As the result of a bicycle accident, a staph infection spread throughout my entire body by way of blood poisoning. Within a short period, all of my organs shut down. It was like a domino effect. Twice doctors said I would not live thru the night. I spent 10 weeks in surgical intensive care, 2.5 months in inpatient rehab and 3 months in outpatient rehab." Yet despite overwhelming odds, this powerhouse of strength called herself back to life because she knew her journey wasn't complete. In fact, it was just beginning. "Prior to my illness I worked in the mental health field as a counselor. Due to the severity of a brain injury caused by my accident, I lost my job while I was in rehab because they did not know if or when I could come back to work. So, in 1998, I opened my own sewing business and began cleaning houses for people. I don't call this a profession per se, but it is a way to earn money. I've always loved sewing; it's a great way to express creativity."

In the spring of 1999, Cicily's doctors cleared her to go home. It was time for her to reconnect, rebuild and rechart her path. It was during this time Sharon invited her to attend a weekly group session. "I had met Sharon several years prior when she spoke at Unity Church - and I remembered how powerful her messages were and how inspired I felt after hearing her." Cicily knew this was one of the first steps that would move her forward on her healing journey. Literally. "I still wasn't able to drive due to my illness, and Sharon's place was close to my home so I could walk there. The timing and setup were perfect." Cicily found Sharon's messages to be inspiring and powerful as she worked on rebuilding her life. She embraced Sharon as her personal life coach that day, and has continued to seek her spiritual guidance for the past eight years. "The great wisdom seen in Sharon's counsel helped me turn my life around. In addition to my illness, there were other issues Sharon helped me gain perspective on- I used to run from drama to drama and endured a very dysfunctional relationship with a particular man. I was always putting out fires, and my soul/spirit was very tired from all the drama. Sharon has helped me shift my awareness to be able to focus on life, and to live each day to the fullest. My life no longer has big dramas. As a result of working with Sharon, I have become strong and am able to give hope and inspiration to others who may be going through similar challenges. I am able to share my story with Toastmaster speeches and at other speaking events. I am so much more peaceful inside. This I owe to Sharon's teachings."

As Cicily began to unwrap her gifts, she embraced each with newfound joy, as well as the challenges that were presented to her. "I have five beautiful children who live all over the world- and that gives me the opportunity to travel to places I otherwise may not have, I have a darling 1-year old granddaughter who is the light of my life- and I have a schedule that allows me the flexibility to get up and go when I want! How many people can actually retire at age 52! I take classes at the YMCA - sometimes 3 times a day- plus I love to dance- ballroom dancing, swing, you name it. Now all I need is a dance partner!"

"So every challenge has turned into a gift, really." Including the diagnosis of Cicily's youngest son, Dan, with cancer. "Danny was diagnosed with cancer in May 05, when he was only 22 years old and at the end of his first year in grad school. For the first 10 months, doctors could not determine what type of cancer he had. He was finally diagnosed with non-smoker's lung cancer. It has been an emotionally difficult experience. What I have learned from Sharon has definitely helped me stay calmer than I would ever have been pre-Sharon. I have even learned to see the "gift" in Dan's cancer, and have tried to help Danny see it. So many strengths I didn't know he had have sprung forth. He was in his 2nd year of graduate school and commuted from Staten Island to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore to get chemotherapy treatments every three weeks while keeping current with his schoolwork and classes. Then, during one month last winter, he had to stay in Baltimore for daily radiation and could not attend class. One of my daughters lived in Baltimore so he stayed at her place during that time and kept up with his classwork via email and telephone correspondence so he wouldn't fall behind. He founded his own organization called National Collegiate Cancer Foundation to help other college students who are diagnosed with cancer. His foundation has raised $22,000 so far and has awarded scholarships to college students. This "baby" of mine has become my hero! He has taught me so much during the past 2 years. The most recent CAT scan in mid Dec. showed very nice improvement. Another CAT scan will be performed in mid March and will show the latest condition, and we're very hopeful."

Cicily believes it's all interconnected and all has purpose. "Perhaps God kept me alive to help Dan thru these challenges? I know my own illness proved beyond the shadow of doubt that prayer is very, very powerful. Maybe that was my mission with Dan as well."

Throughout it all, Cicily has continued to work with Sharon on spiritual growth through a combination of individual coaching sessions, seminars, and group sessions. One group she found particularly inspiring was Sharon's "One year to Live" class. "It really forces you to focus and prioritize. I think out of all the classes that has been the most powerful so far. The most important lesson I have learned from Sharon is that "Everything is a Gift." There has been quite a bit of tragedy in my life the past ten years and I am able to look back on all of it as a gift. I am able to able to view the incidents as lessons. I can see all the good that has come from my personal illness and I feel so very blessed to have been given a second chance at life. I appreciate life so much more. Each morning when I wake up, I say "Thank you God for another day of living, loving, laughing, and learning. I have a framed piece of artwork on my bedroom wall that says "Each day offers many gifts. Untie the ribbons." Each day IS full of gifts and wonders. Sharon has taught me that it is ok to untie those ribbons."

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